Box seat for Basque nationalists
Socialists set to enter negotiations with the PNV
ALTHOUGH the Basque nationalist party (PNV) lost four seats in Sunday’s regional
nd election, they will be able to reform the coalition they operated with the Socialist party (PSOE) during the last legislature to govern the Basque Country.
While the PNV won 27 seats in the regional parliament, their left-wing nationalist rivals EH Bildu took the same number – a rise of six seats.
However, the PNV had more votes – 370,554 – compared with EH Bildu’s 341,735 and the PSOE’s 149,660.
The results showed that 67.7% of voters in the Basque Country opted for a nationalist party, although only EH Bildu have clearly stated that they want independence from Spain.
The Socialists gained two seats and now have 12, with 14.2% of the vote.
Political commentators predicted that the PSOE – known as the PSE in the Basque Country – will now drive a harder bargain and ask for a greater role in the future government in order to re-run the coalition – they managed three departments in the regional government during the last legislature.
This was confirmed when Socialist candidate Eneko Andueza said on Monday: “The PSE starts from a much stronger position than in the last legislature.”
The PNV, now led by Imanol Pradales, have said the Socialists are their preferred partners for government.
General coordinator for EH
Bildu, Arnaldo Otegi stated that ‘things have now changed’ and the policies adopted by the regional government should be ‘more nationalist’ and ‘more left-wing’.
Although there is no official deadline to form a government in the Basque Country, it is traditionally done within two months of the election, according to public broadcaster RTVE.
They said that the new ‘lehendakari’ (Basque president), who will be Imanol Pradales, could be in position in June.
The Partido Popular (PP), which does not normally do well in the Basque Country, won seven seats with 9.2% of the vote – and will not be able to influence negotiations for the new government.